safe loved wise
by PoetryRebel
Summary: "You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise." / when Ally's dad is hospitalized, Austin shows her he truly is her knight in shining armor. / auslly. COMPLETE :D
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I actually…really like this request. It combines something from The Mentalist (an awesome T.V. show) with Austin & Ally. It's kinda sad though. This is the time I'm trying to write in 3****rd**** person focusing on Ally..that'll be a new experience, I mostly focus on Austin.**

**Request Prompt: When Ally's dad is hospitalized, Austin shows her he truly is her knight in shining armor. Can it use the quote "You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise" from Charlotte Jane? **

**Disclaimer: I own the clothes on my back. That's it.**

* * *

She's not quite sure if this is real. One moment, she's counting the cash in the register, the next, she can hear screams. Screams piercing into her ears, leaving the memory of them ringing in her head, screams she knows she'll never forget. Her dad is on the ground, a hand to his chest, and another hand gripping hers. She grabbed her phone to call 911, but it took them nearly an hour to get there.

And that brings her back to where she is now, in the hospital, hearing the rushing of carts, the crying of people, and the beeping of machines. She doesn't want to cry, but she can't bring herself to be strong. The ringing of her phone disrupts her thoughts, and maybe that's a good thing.

"Hello?" Ally answers, voice cracking.

"….Ally? What's wrong?" Austin said.

"My dad…had a heart attack. I'm at Miami County Hospital.."

"I'll be there in 5 minutes."

"Wait, Austin-"

All she heard was the click and the dial tone. She sighed. He wasn't going to leave her alone, anyway. She knew better than that. A smile played at her lips for the first time since last night. Austin.

He showed up at the hospital in seven minutes, which in his defense, is record time. He quickly found her, and sat beside her in the waiting area. "Are you okay? What happened?"

She sighed. Should've known people would ask, she thought.

"I…I don't know. I was counting the register, and he just started screaming, and.."

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay Als."

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his chest. She gripped onto the part of his jacket that wasn't zipped.

"When's the last time you slept?" Austin said, running a hand through her hair.

"Two nights ago," she admitted, biting her lip.

"You need some rest, Als."

"Here?"

"Well, where else would you?"

She sighed. He was right. She was exhausted. Still, she doubted she could go to sleep with so much on her mind. She repositioned herself, head still on his chest.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow, a bed of grass, a soft green pillow.." Austin sang quietly, then began to hum. Her eyes stirred, and shut. She tightened her grip on his jacket, and he smiled.

She fluttered her eyelids open, waiting for her vision to clear. A part of her forgot where she was, what had happened. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. She stretched, and sat up to find she was sleeping in Austin's lap.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," he said, smiling. She looked up at him, a blush on her face. Had she really slept on his lap?

"How long did I sleep?" she asked, sitting up.

"About an hour. I expected you to sleep longer," he muttered.

"Have you heard-"

"I'm sorry, I haven't," he replied. He already knew what she was going to ask. Better to spare her saying it.

She sighed. A thousand people in this hospital, so many questions, and not one answer or someone to help her. She wasn't allowed to go back there. They said she was "too young". All she wanted was to see her Dad and go home. A tear ran down her face, but she wiped it off. She couldn't break down. She wouldn't.

"Hey, how about we go to the hospital cafeteria?" Austin perked up.

"But…"

"Ally, you haven't eaten in what, 2 days?"

She nodded.

"Then we're going, come on," he said, as he grabbed her hand.

She poked at her jello with her spoon. It jiggled. She gave a slight smile, and looked up at Austin.

"You don't have to stay with me, you know. I can handle it on my own," she muttered, knowing he was supposed to be hanging out with Dez today.

"I know." he said, taking a bite out of his burger.

She finally dipped her spoon into the jello. It tasted like artificial sugar. She grabbed a napkin and spit it out.

He laughed.

"Besides. I couldn't live with myself if I left you here alone," he said.

"Thanks Austin, that's really sweet."

Austin shrugged. "Now, how about we get you some food that doesn't taste like how Dez smells?"

She nodded, and let him - just this once - escort her to the vending machines.

She ended up getting a Nutty Buddy, and he got a pack of Donuts.

"You just ate corndogs, why do you need donuts?" she asked, returning to their seat in the waiting area.

"Why not?" was the only answer she was given.

The stir of the hospital annoyed her. It was full of attendees with fake smiles, and it smelled like a large bathroom. Better than smelling of death, she thought.

They sat in silence for awhile. She felt guilty. It was her problem, and now he has to suffer with her. As much as she wanted him here, she really wished he would've just hung out with Dez. He wouldn't have had to stay here with her. Or see her this way.

"Miss Dawson?" a nurse said, a fake smile on her face, like the rest of them.

"Yes?" she said, sitting up. Austin took his arm off of her.

"Your father went into cardiac arrest last night - he's conscience now. As of now, his condition remains stable."

"When can I see him?"

Her smile faltered. Ally shifted uneasily.

"Sweetie, I would love for you to see him, but the area is restricted to those over eighteen. Those are the rules," she said, the smile still on her face. Ally wanted to slap it off. "For the mean time, you should go home. Get some rest. We'll call you if anything changes."

With that, the nurse was gone.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" Austin said, tracing circles over her knuckles with his thumb.

"My mom gets back from her business trip in a week," Ally said, blinking back tears.

"You're staying with me."

She didn't protest. She stood up, and when he offered her his hand, she took it. He put her under his arm, and they walked out the hospital doors together.

He started humming the lullaby again. She just hummed along.

* * *

He slipped into the door quietly, checking his watch.

"It's 2:30, Austin." she said. "Are you sure your parents are okay with me staying?"

"I already checked. They get off work in about three hours. We're alone 'til then," he replied.

She walked up the stairs to his room.

"Austin?" she asked, quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I take a shower?"

"Sure. The bathroom's down the hall on the left side."

"Thanks."

"Hey, Ally?"

"Yes?"

"We'll get through this. Together," he said, squeezing her hand lightly.

She nodded.

* * *

**A/N: Is it sad that my heart kinda broke just writing that? It's so sad for me. Probably just because I can relate to it. **

**Anyway, leave a review and tell me if I should continue, how to improve, if you liked it, and such.**

**Much love,**

**~Rebel**


	2. Chapter 2

It felt odd being in the Moon's house. Even more so odd being in their shower.

She rinsed her hair out, humming the tune to the lullaby Austin sang earlier. Clicking the water off, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her petite figure. She peeked her head out the doorway. No one was home yet, but Austin did say three hours 'til his parents got home. She knocked on his door. He jumped up from his bed and opened it.

"Um, could we drop by my house? I don't really have any…clothes."

"Yeah, hold on a minute," he said, walking back towards his closet. He grabbed a red hoodie, with a music note on it, and handed it to her. "You can wear my hoodie in the meantime."

She smiled and went back to the bathroom. She honestly didn't feel like blowdrying her hair, so she dried it off the best she could with the towel, and slipped his hoodie on and her shorts from the night before. It was warm, and it smelled like him. It also engulfed her small frame. She stuck her hands in the pockets and went back to his room. He had her key in hand, and was just shutting the door.

"You know, I could just give you some sweatpants if you'd like," he said, closing the door.

"Somehow, I don't think they'd fit me," she muttered, gesturing to his hoodie.

He smiled softly, and grabbed her hand. She didn't object. They walked in comfortable silence to her house.

She felt a lump catch in her throat when she opened the door. It was home…but it didn't feel like home. Not without her Dad. She stopped at the doorway, and looked around. Her dad's coffee mug, still with coffee in it, set on the table. The ESPN channel was on the T.V., and pictures of her and her Dad were around the walls. She sighed. This wasn't home. She walked back outside.

Austin walked out after her. "Do you want me to just grab some of your clothes, and we can head back to my house?"

She nodded, teary-eyed. He looked at her with sympathy, but dashed back to get the clothes quickly. She wiped her eyes. He came out with 3 shirts and about 10 pairs of shorts and jeans.

"Did you expect me to go topless around your home?" she asked.

"No, I just think you look good in my shirts," he said with a smirk. Her face flushed, and he grinned.

* * *

She heard the door open, and a loud laughter from Mimi Moon, followed by a booming laugh from Mike. She grinned. Despite the fact they sold mattresses, they were just like Austin. She thought about it. What if they really didn't want her here?

"Austin, I can't stay here," she muttered, playing with the strings on his hoodie.

"You're not staying by yourself. I thought we went over this, Als."

"I don't want to impose on you and your parents."

"My parents love you. Come on, stop being so hard on yourself. Here, I'll show you."

He grabbed her hand for the fourth time today. She was starting to get used to it. He dragged her downstairs, and his parents eyes immediately softened when they saw her.

"Ally, are you alright dearie?" his mom asked, putting away groceries.

"Yes ma'am. Um, thanks a lot for letting me stay here. I could stay home alone, I don't have to stay here."

"Nonsense. We're happy to house you for the time being! Not as happy as Austin, though," his dad said, shooting Austin a wink.

"Dad!" Austin groaned, and Ally chucked lightly.

"I should probably start dinner. What do you kids want?"

"Pancakes," Austin said, not skipping a beat.

"What about you, Ally?" Mimi asked, ignoring her son.

"Pancakes are fine."

Mimi looked at Austin and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "You're influencing this poor girl to eat pancakes."

Ally just laughed. "I'll help you with dinner."

The two girls went into the kitchen and Austin took a seat by his dad.

"So, not that I don't love her staying here, but…why is she staying here?" his dad asked, in a hushed tone.

Austin rolled his eyes. "Her dad had a heart attack. I explained it to Mom, didn't she tell you?"

"She probably did. I've learned to zone your mother out, son. Poor girl. Does she have any other family?"

"Her mom, but she's in Africa for a while. That's why I said she should stay with us."

Mike nodded. "Alright. Just watch out for your mother's big mouth."

Austin panicked. "Oh, crap. What if she does say something?"

"I'll shut her up. One swift conversation to her hand modeling career and everything else goes under the rug," Mike said, chuckling.

"Thanks, Dad." Austin said, dashing into the kitchen.

"And then, when Austin was seven, he thought the lion statue in our living room was a monster, and he tried to banish it by saying a spell from Wizards of Waverly Place."

"Mom!" Austin shrieked, coming into the kitchen. "No more telling stories, wasn't naming me Monica punishment enough?"

Mimi shot him a dirty look. "How dare you!"

"Sorry," he quickly said, shuffling over to Ally. "Where'd you learn to cook pancakes?"

"Considering these are store-bought, I'd say the side of the box."

He nodded. He got out the syrup from the fridge, and tossed it on the table. Ally glanced over her shoulder at him.

"What? It's not pancakes without syrup!"

She rolled her eyes. She set the pancakes on the table, and Austin grabbed one with his hand and put it in his mouth. He squirted the syrup into his mouth, and started to chew. She winced, and looked at him.

With a mouthful of food, he looked at her. "You should try them, they're good."

"No thanks, remember that diet? Not eating anything disgusting?" she said, remembering back to a year ago.

He shrugged. "Your loss."

After dinner, they walked back up to his room.

"I'm kinda tired. I'm gonna try to sleep. 'Night, Austin," she said, as she went to leave his room.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, turning around in his swivel chair.

"Going to go to the couch downstairs?" she responded.

"No, you're sleeping in my bed."

"Austin, that's sweet, but I-"

He cut her off. "No. Ally, stop being so modest. I'm taking care of you."

She sighed, knowing she wouldn't win. He hopped on his bed and patted beside him. "Now, try to get some sleep?"

"Okay," she muttered, climbing in bed beside him.

"Sweet dreams, Als."

* * *

"Aaah!"

A quiet, small scream burst through the room. Not loud enough to wake up the whole house, but just loud enough to kick in Austin's protectiveness. "Als? You okay?!"

She looked over at him, tears soaking her face, along with sweat. He wrapped his arms around her. "Ally, what happened?"

"I had…a dream. My dad..you..I couldn't.." she stuttered, trying to get words out through tears. He wiped her eyes.

"It was just a dream. It's okay, Als."

"I'm alone..he's not here.."

"You are not alone. You are _safe_, you are _loved_, and you are _wise_," he said, and he kissed the top of her forehead. She calmed down a little bit, and wiped off her tears. He pulled her in for a hug, before lying back down. She sat up, not wanting to have another nightmare.

"Ally, you need some rest. Come here," he said, and he wrapped her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest, and shut her eyes. She wasn't alone.

She had Austin.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, more cheesy-ness. I'm not too proud of this chapter. Mostly filler. Nyeh. Review anyway~ **

**Sincerely,**

**~Rebel**


	3. Chapter 3

She woke up, completely protected by his arms. Her cell phone rang, and he groaned, moving his arms to stretch. She hopped out of bed, and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Yes, this is Ally Dawson," she said, facing opposite of Austin. He shot his head up, wondering who she was talking to. He yawned, and crawled out of bed.

"I can? Okay, I will. Thank you. Bye." she hit the end button on her phone, clutching it close to her heart. She didn't know what to say.

"Als? You alright?"

"It was one of the doctors. I can go see my dad now."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"They said he was in critical condition."

"Oh..you wanna go now?"

"I'm not dressed."

"It's a hospital, not a bat mitzvah."

This time, she grabbed his hand. He intertwined their fingers, and throwing a shirt on, they headed towards the hospital.

On the way there, they kept their hands together.

"Ally," Austin said, softly, "don't do this."

"Do what?" she asked, a confused glint in her eye.

"You're doing what you always do. You're acting like you're fine, trying to be strong, when you're really not," he said, tightening his grip on her hand.

"I am fine. I am strong," she said.

"You're not fine," he muttered.

She looked away from him. "I'm fine," she said. She repeated it in her head, because in all honesty, she didn't believe herself, either.

They had reached the ICU. Where her father was. She was hesitant to open the door. He squeezed her hand again. "It's okay. Take your time."

She sighed, and puffed up her chest. She went through the doors.

Her dad was hooked up to about a dozen machines, not knowing herself what one of them was for. She gulped, and took a step towards him.

"Dad?" she said, softly. His eyes shifted in her direction, and he smiled. He didn't say anything, though. She grabbed his hand. He looked so helpless. Not like the carefree, fun person he usually was. She could feel a knot in her stomach. Tears had already started to form in her eyes. No, she told herself. You have to be strong. For him. She wiped her eyes. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too."

Her eyes blinked open, and she smiled. Not a sincere smile, but still a smile. She wiped her eyes again, and squeezed his hand.

"Miss Dawson, we need to do some tests," the doctor in the room said. She nodded, and kissed him on the cheek. Austin, who had been propped up against the wall, waved at the doctor, and gripped Ally's hand. They walked out the doors, hand in hand, both uneasy, but for different reasons.

"You okay?" he said, softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she said, ignoring the knot in her stomach.

"Would you quit saying that? You're not fine, Ally!" he said, a little bit louder than intended. Tears welled up in her eyes, from the combination of her dad, and the fact he just yelled at her. He groaned and face palmed. "Wait, Ally, I didn't mean to yell. I'm sorry. I just care about you, okay?"

She nodded, and let go of his hand.

"Austin?" she said, slowly.

"Yeah?"

She hugged him, and murmured into his jacket. "Thank you."

Every day, they visited him. For about fifteen minutes a day. He seemed to get worse and worse every time. At the start, he could talk and laugh - but more recently, he could barely say two words, or keep his eyes open. And Ally was a total train wreck. She kept trying to push further than she could. She wouldn't talk to anyone but Austin and his parents. Not Trish, not Dez. Of course, they were worried, but Austin told them to give her time. Austin, however, started to doubt that would work. She wouldn't admit to herself, much less to him, that she was crumbling.

She was eating a lot less, and she wouldn't sleep. He was scared. Scared for her safety.

"Ally, come on. You have to eat," Austin said, looking at the sandwich and pickle in front of her. "You love pickles!"

She faked a smile. "I'm just not hungry, Austin."

"You're never hungry, Ally. I'm starting to get concerned. Please. For me, eat the sandwich. Eat the pickle. Go back to being my happy little Ally," he whispered.

"Okay. For you," she said, and she took a bite out of the sandwich. She finished it, pickle and all. He clapped, and kissed her forehead.

"Good. Now, you wanna go meet Trish & Dez at Mini's?" he asked, hopeful.

"I….okay," she said, giving up in defeat.

He grinned, and linked their arms. "Come on, m'lady."

"I'm not a princess, and you're far from a prince." she said, laughing.

"Hurtful!" he whined in mock-pain.

She smiled a genuine smile, something she hasn't done for days.

* * *

They were all laughing. Dez, Trish, Austin, even Ally. About something stupid Dez did on his trip to the film festival or something. That was before her cell phone rang, and she excused herself.

She came back with tears in her eyes, phone clutched in her hands.

"Austin. He's dead."


	4. Chapter 4

"What?"

"Oh my god."

"Ally, I'm so sorry."

The words just drained in her head. She wasn't sure who said what. She wasn't sure where she was, or who she was with. The word just echoed in her head. Dead. Her dad. She wouldn't see him again. This…no. This couldn't be happening. He was fine the last time she saw him. He was alive. He was breathing. This wasn't happening. Not to her.

"Ally. Ally. Ally."

She heard her name being said, but she didn't respond. She just wanted to see her dad. For him to hug her, tell her it was okay, and they could go home. To their home. With each other. They'd be a family again, and everything would be okay.

"Als, please say something."

She tried to speak. Words wouldn't come out. She had nothing to say. Everything was hitting her at once. It finally sunk in. There was no home anymore. There was no family. He was dead. It's all gone. She was alone.

"Ally, look at me."

She couldn't. Her eyes weren't working. All she could see was the image of her and her father. Him lying on the bed. She couldn't see anything going on. She saw him, and only him.

"Come on, Ally, please, talk to me."

She wanted to. She wanted to cry. She wanted to break down, scream, tell herself it wasn't real. She wanted to wake up from a nightmare, and be calmed by her dad. That wasn't going to happen, she reminded herself. He's gone. You're alone. You have no one. The world stopped spinning. She looked up to see Austin, Trish, and Dez staring at her.

"I'm sorry," she said, barely keeping her balance. "I'm sorry!" she said, and she ran off. Austin called out after her, but she didn't listen. She just kept running. She didn't know what she was running from, she just wanted to run. To get away from everything.

* * *

Austin paced back and forth in his room. For the fifth time in an hour, he called Trish.

"Did you find her?"

"No, we're looking though."

He hung up, and set the phone on his desk. "Dammit."

"Dammit, Ally. Wherever you are, please come home."

He felt sorry for her. It all hit her at once. She's too scared to break down. He just wished he knew how to help her.

* * *

She just wanted to scream. To yell, to fight, to wake up. To say it wasn't real. But it was real. And it was thick. She couldn't think about anything else. All she felt was pain. Pure pain in the center of her heart, slicing her like a dagger. She felt the grass beneath her. She gripped onto it, feeling the blades on the palm of her hands. When she was little, her dad used to take her here. He said to hold onto the grass. It kept you on earth, and it wouldn't take you to the skies. He let go. He let go of the grass. She gripped onto the grass tighter. She thought back to the first night she spent at Austin's house. What he said. The words echoed in her head, playing back like a tape. 'You are _safe, _you are _loved,_ and you are _wise._' She said them out loud, her wary voice being the only real sound she's heard in close to four hours. Safe. Loved. Wise.

She looked at the water. It moved, waves crashing into each other, over lapping. They fell, and again they arose. She wished her dad was like a wave.

She heard footsteps, and she let go. She waited for a second in silence. She was still here. She turned her head. Austin. She just sat there, on the grass, waiting for him to say something. He stood with his arms folded, waiting for her.

"Ally…I love you to death, but swear to God, if you ever run away like that again, I will kill you," he said, gritting his teeth. He slowly walked to her, and sat by her in the grass. He pulled her into his arms. "I was so scared. Don't ever do that again."

She nodded, not saying anything. She wrapped her arms around him, and they laid on the grass.

"Austin," she said, slow and sadly.

"Yes, Ally?"

"Please don't let go of the grass," she said, with tears in her eyes.

"I won't. Not without you."

"Remember that lullaby you sang to me when we were in the hospital?"

"Yeah."

"Can you sing it for me?"

He smiled softly, and rested his chin on her head.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your eyes_

_And when they open, the sun will rise_

She hummed along, listening to his voice. It was peaceful.

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet_

_And tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

She smiled, laying her head on his chest.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away_

Her eyelids fluttered shut, but she kept humming. She snuggled into Austin. He was warm.

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet_

_ and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

He looked down at Ally. She was asleep on his chest.

_Here is the place where I love you._

* * *

**A/N: No, I do not own the lullaby. Don't sue me, fan fiction. It's Rue's lullaby from The Hunger Games. Yes, I'm a Panemaneac/Tribute.**

**Reviews are lovely ^^**

**~Rebel**


	5. Chapter 5

She woke up to the smell of freshly cooked bacon and the cinnamon spice smell of Austin's hoodie. She hopped out of bed, inhaling the aroma. It was almost too good to go back to bed. Truth be told, she didn't feel like getting out of bed. She had planned on just letting herself decay under the sheets. Damn Austin with his bacon. After making herself somewhat presentable, she walked downstairs to find a shirtless Austin flipping pancakes and bacon in a frying pan.

"Morning, Als!" he said, flipping the pancake in the pan.

"Morning," she said, less enthusiastic.

"I made you bacon," he said, grinning.

"I can smell it from your room."

"You mean our room."

She just nodded. She grabbed a strip of bacon, and went back to bed. She was perfectly content in not leaving the bed for quite a long time. She hadn't slept much last night, she had went to sleep when Austin's parents left for work. Which was around 6, and it's 7:19 now. She pulled the sheets up over her head, and curled up into a ball. The sound of Austin's lullaby filled her ears, drifting her off into sleep.

* * *

She woke up gasping for air, sweat dripping down her forehead. Austin ran in the room, and took a seat by her. "Another nightmare?"

She felt tears well up in her eyes. "He's really gone, isn't he?"

Austin looked in her chocolate eyes. He didn't know what to say. She had finally grasped at it. She couldn't be strong anymore, and he knew it. She was about to crack. "Look, Ally.."

She couldn't help it. She broke down into tears. She screamed into her pillow, blinking back tears rapidly. She lost it. He wrapped her in his arms, and drew large circles on her back. She sobbed into his jacket, shrieking and sweating. He just ran a hand through her hair. "It's okay, let it out."

"He's…he's…really gone. I never got to..to say goodbye," she said, through choked cries. "I know. It's okay, Als," Austin said, calmly and quietly. He hugged her tightly. She hid her face in his shoulder, crying a whole lot quieter. "Ally, it's okay. You don't have to hold it in." She cried for about fifteen minutes, and he held her until she calmed down. "Shh, it's okay," he said, pressed into her hair.

"Austin, I'm sorry," she said through sobs. "Sorry? Sorry for what?" he asked.

"You've had to deal with me these last few weeks. I'm sorry." He shook his head.

"Don't ever say that. I was taking care of you. You have no need to apologize." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Her dad just died, and she was apologizing. He stroked her back, gently whispering into her ear, "You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise."

* * *

**A/N: Yup, short chappy. I decided to make this one short and bittersweet; I don't feel too well but I wanted to go ahead and post it.**

**I 3 reviews, especially on sick days.**

**~Rebel**


	6. Chapter 6

It was around 10:30 when Trish and Dez showed up. He already knew it was them, because he heard pounding on the door (Trish) and the doorbell was pressed multiple times (Dez). He yawned, carefully moving his arms so not to wake Ally. He threw on a shirt. It had a syrup stain on it, but it would work. He opened the door to find a cheery Dez and an agitated Trish.

"Dez, quit pressing the doo- Oh, hey Austin," she said. He smiled.

"So, how is she?" Trish asked, looking around for any signs of Ally.

"She's asleep. She finally broke down last night."

They both looked a little sad. Dez didn't know what to say.

"Is there going to be a funeral?" he asked, awkwardly.

"The viewing is next week, the funeral is the following week. We're all welcomed to come," Austin said, leaning against the door frame. "Even if we weren't, we're coming. For Ally."

The two at the door nodded. Trish leaned in.

"You smell like the beach. The beach, and vanilla. Why do you smell like Ally?" she said, hunching her eyebrows. Dez grinned.

He rolled his eyes. "Because I'm not letting her sleep on the couch. She sleeps in my bed with me."

Dez perked up. "So, you're sleeping together?"

"No! I mean, we sleep in the same bed together, but we don't…do that!" he said, looking back to see if she woke up.

Trish chuckled. "Ah, right. You're still friend zoned."

"I am not!"

"Are so," Dez cut in.

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Okay, let's try to be mature here. Austin, when do you think we could see her?" Trish cut in, putting a hand to Dez's mouth. He licked her hand, earning himself a slap from her.

"I think it's best for me to handle her right now up until the funeral," Austin muttered back.

Dez wiggled his eyebrows, and Trish slapped him again. "Alright. Text us if anything else happens."

"Will do, Trish. Dez, I hope your face freezes that way."

Dez gasped in horror, before Trish dragged him out the door. Austin chuckled, and shut the door. He leaned back against the door. The cool breeze still wavered through the door, and he breathed it in. An idea came to him.

"An idea, sweet. Now, where's my light bulb?" he muttered, to himself.

He tiptoed into the bedroom, and glanced at the girl sleeping in his bed. She looked so cute when she slept. Scratch that. He didn't say that.

"Ally," he said, nudging her shoulder. "Als, get up."

"Is it dinner time yet?" she said, not opening her eyes. He chuckled.

"Seriously, get up."

She sat up, running a hand through her unkempt hair. "Yes?"

"We're going to the park. Go hop in the shower and get ready."

"Austin, I don't really feel like-"

"Just trust me. Now go get in the shower before I put you in there myself."

She blushed. She grabbed a pair of clothes, and went into the guest bathroom.

_Good,_ he thought. _I can get her out of the house._ He smelled his shirt.

"Yeah, maybe I need a shower too," he said, and went down to his parent's bathroom.

She slipped on one of her Ally-esque shirts and shorts. Drying the tips of her hair with the towel, she walked out the guest bathroom, head cocked to one side, scanning for Austin. He wasn't around. She tiptoed into his room, and grabbed his hoodie. It was warm, and well, it smelled like him. She sniffed it, before tossing it on over her shirt, letting her hair towel drop to the floor.

"Looking for something?" came a voice from the door frame. Austin, who had a towel wrapped around his neck, and only jeans on, walked towards her.

"I thought girls were supposed to take a long time in the bathroom," he muttered, picking up the towel. Her eyes, which were focused more so on his chest than anything, looked up to meet his face. She shook her head.

"Yeah, if it didn't take someone forty-five minutes to do their hair," she said, motioning to the blonde fluff he had spent half an hour working on.

"That hurts, Als."

He walked over to his closet, and slipped a shirt on. "You ready?"

"Mhm," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. He smiled and, grabbing her hand, escorted her out the door. She intertwined their fingers. He looked down at their hands, and looking back up at her face, she smiled. He ran a hand through his hair. There wasn't a thing in the world he wouldn't do for this girl.

He noted the way she walked on the sidewalk. Left, right, left, right, skip the crack. It was almost like a rhythm.

"Where are we going again?" she asked, still holding his hand.

"The park. I've told you this five times, Als."

"Well, 'scuse me, Aus."

"Aus? That sounds like a dogs name."

She chuckled, and he sighed in relief. She seemed so much better this morning than last night. He pointed to the park.

"Race ya!" he said, dashing off.

"Austin, I-"

Too late. He had already sprinted to the park. She chased after him, moving no where near as fast, in a desperate attempt to catch up. He stopped around the swing set, flopping on the cedar chips. Panting, he tried to catch his breath. She came up a short time later, face red and eyes red.

"Totes not cool," she said, sitting on one of the swings. He laughed, and brushed the cedar chips off.

"Come on, running is fun!" he said. He noticed she was swinging lightly, not high enough to go anywhere though. He hopped up, and grabbed the chains of the swing, stopping her at a halt.

"Hey, what was that for?" she said, pouting.

"Because you're not doing it right," he said, giving her a hard push as he said it, and she squealed. She almost fell off, and when she went back, he stopped the swing again.

"That is why," he began, putting her hands on the chains, then his hands on top of hers, "you hold onto these."

He gave her another push, and another, as she went higher. She was laughing. He smiled, and stopped pushing her.

"Woaaah! Austin, I can't stop!" she yelled, struggling to stop the swing.

"Just let your legs touch the ground," he said, watching her in amusement.

"They don't reach the ground!" she squealed.

"Then jump!"

"Are you crazy?! I'll break my leg!"

"No you won't, I'll catch you!"

She looked hesitant, and he sighed.

"Trust me."

She jumped out of the swing, and he caught her in his arms, both of them falling to the ground as he did. He swiftly wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah, last time I'm jumping out of a swing," she muttered.

"I caught you, didn't I?" he said, giving a flirty smile.

"And look where that got us. On the ground, covered in cedar chips."

"Cedar chips are nice," he said, correcting her.

"Mm, whatever you say," she muttered.

She threw a handful in his face. He spit them out.

"What was that for?!" he said, wiping them off his face.

She grinned. "You said they were nice."

He threw a handful in her face. She grimaced, and he gave her a sarcastic smile.

"How delightful they are, Miss Dawson."

She gathered up a pile in her hands and tossed them at him. He squinted. "Very delightful, Mr. Moon."

He dug under the cedar with his hands, and drew up a whole patch that seemed to splash on her face. She growled, and he shrugged his shoulders with a smile. She ruffled his hair, and poured a whole bunch on top of his head.

"Hey, hey, not the hair!" he whined.

He pushed her on the ground, pinning her wrists together. Getting in her face, he smiled. "I win." She looked so pretty. Maybe it was just the way the sun was shining, or the carefree way she was smiling, but he felt strangely attracted to her at that moment. Then he realized he was only kidding himself. He always was, and probably had always been, no matter how much he denied it. He wasn't sure when he did it, but he leaned down, and connected their lips. Her eyes shot open, before slowly closing again. She kissed back, slowly. He released her wrists, using his free hands to hold up her face, and she threw her arms around his neck. He softly bit at her lip, putting one hand at the back of her neck. They broke apart for air, but neither moving anything but their lips.

They were quiet for a moment, before Ally sat up.

"That was.." she began.

"Completely stupid of me," he cut in.

"I was going to say wonderful," she said.

His frown perked up, as did his neck. "Really?"

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't been waiting for you to do that," she said, moving closer to him.

"Then..don't say that," he said, kissing her again. She full-on returned the kiss, leaving practically no space or air in between them. She broke apart, putting her forehead on his.

"Austin?" she whispered.

"Als?"

"Thank you. For everything, really. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"That's what I'm here for."

* * *

**A/N: So, a little bit of fluff before we get back to the angst. And I promise you, pretty soon, we'll have some angst filled chapters.**

**I'd also like to thank my lovely reviewers, because when I get the chance to message you back, I will. I love you guys soo much.**

**Remember, review! **

**~Rebel**


	7. Chapter 7

She woke up encased in his arms, T.V. on, in his t-shirt and her panties. She nudged his chest, signaling him to wake up. He yawned, stretching his arms. She used that as an opportunity to break free.

"Not that I mind, but is it instinct to wrap your arms around girls when they sleep?" she asked, grabbing his hand.

"Only you, Ally," he said, kissing her hand. "Only you."

She rolled her eyes, and with a smile, got up.

"Where are you going?" he asked, folding his arms.

"To get dressed?" she said, leaning on the wall.

"I like you better this way," he whined. "Come on, we've got no where to go."

"What if I have a date?" she asked, giving him a smug grin. He shook his head.

"You have a date? Oh yeah, with who?"

"You."

"Okay, and where are we going?"

"Um.."

"Exactly, so get back over here."

She sighed. "Can I at least brush my hair?"

"Fine," he said, getting up from the couch. He whispered into her ear before heading back to his room. "Don't change anything else." His hot, mint tasting breath left a shudder on her shoulders.

She came back, dolled up and dressed. He pouted.

"Really, Als? I said not to change anything," he whined.

"Did you? I didn't hear."

"Listen, since you're dressed, Trish and Dez called. They wanna know if we wanted to meet up at Suzy's Soups. Do you?"

She bit her lip. The last time she saw them, she ran out on them.

"Sure. Just make sure the exits are locked."

He laughed, and went back to his phone. He put it in his pocket. Going back to his closet, he kissed Ally on the forehead. "I'm proud of you." He slipped a shirt over his head.

"Yeah, thanks mom," she muttered, throwing his hoodie over her head. "Can we go now?"

He looked in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. "Sure." He went to leave, before looking in the mirror again. He winked at it. Ally rolled her eyes and yanked him out the door. "Ow, ow, ow, ow. What is it with girls and ears?" he said, rubbing his ear in pain. "What is it with Austins and mirrors?" she retorted, heading out the door.

"Oh shut up, you know you love me," he said, cutting off the house lights and locking the door.

"Okay, tell yourself that," she laughed, and kissed him on the cheek. He smirked, and they walked off the porch hand-in-hand, like everything else they did.

It took fifteen minutes for Trish & Dez to show up at Suzy's Soups. It took 30 seconds for them both to hug her to death.

"Ally! I missed you so much!" Trish said, hugging her. "I missed you too, Trish."

Dez hugged her neck. "Ally! You're alive!" Austin chuckled.

"Okay, now that she's been hugged to death, how about we order?" Austin piped up.

The whole lunch was fun. She forgot how much she missed her friends. She also forgot how alive she felt when she was with the world. Not alone. It was a good feeling. Something she had missed.

"So, Ally, what's it like living with Austin?" Trish cut in, and Dez looked up.

"Pretty cool. Actually, you guys, there's something you should know," she started to say, but cut herself off. Her and Austin had never really made anything official, what if he didn't want them to be?

"We're dating," he said, not missing a beat. Well, there goes that idea.

Trish gasped, and Dez aw'd.

"I knew you two liked each other!" Trish said, finishing her soup.

"Even I knew that, Trish," Dez said.

She giggled.

The lunch ended with Dez having to go back home because he left the fridge door open, and Trish having to go back to work. When they got home, she plopped down on his bed. "I really miss hanging out with them."

Austin took a seat beside her. "Hey, once this is all cleared up, it'll all go back to normal. Promise. Well, besides us. I don't really want us to go back to being friends," he muttered, squeezing her hand.

She smiled. "Hey, me either. I'm kinda happy we're not. Kinda."

"Kinda? What's that supposed to mean?" he said, crossing his arms.

"I'm kidding," she said. His phone vibrated. "Oh hey, Dez wants me to come over. I'll see you in a bit, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. See ya," she said, taking out her book from under his bed.

"Alright. Love you," he said.

"Um, yeah. Bye," she muttered.

He stopped before he opened the door. "Uh, Als? You okay..?"

She nodded, and picked up her book. "Fine, why?"

"Well, I just told you I loved you, and you got all weirded out," he said, crossing his arms.

"No, I didn't," she said. "Whaaat?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? You know, if you didn't love me, you coulda just said it."

She shut her book. "I didn't say that."

"Then why'd you get all spacey when I said it?" he retorted.

"Now you're saying I don't like you? If I didn't, we wouldn't be dating!" she said, putting her book away.

"I didn't say th- stop changing the subject! That's not what we're talking about here!" he yelled.

"What's there to talk about? You were leaving!" she yelled back.

"Yeah, I was."

He slammed the door. As he left, she felt her heart sink. What did she just do? That's the one person who had stuck up for her through all of this.

* * *

When he came back, it was already 9:20. He opened the door, only to find his room empty. "Ally?" he called, looking around for her. "If this is about earlier, I -" he found a yellow sticky note, cleverly attached to his computer monitor.

_Austin,_

_I'm sorry about earlier. I acted like an idiot, I'm sorry._

_You helped me through everything and this is how I repay you._

_I packed my stuff and went back to my house. If you need me, text me._

_-Ally_

"Shit," he muttered. Grabbing a jacket, he ran out the door.

Her house was quiet, and it always had that homey feel to it that just made you feel at home when you walked in. Now, it didn't feel that way to her. She felt completely alone. Alone, hated, and stupid. She couldn't believe she had done that.

He didn't bother to knock. He firstly checked the door to see if it was open. Of course, it was. He walked in, looking around. "Ally?"

"Ally? Come on, come talk to me," he said, talking to the house.

She remained tucked in the couch, perfectly hearing him, also perfectly ignoring him. He spotted the tiny ball on the couch, and walked over to her. "Ally, I can see you."

She sat up. "Apparently you can."

"Okay. Don't run away. Tell me the truth. What happened back at my house?"

"I…you just said it, and I…I couldn't say it back. The last person I said I love you to was my dad, and he…well he's not here is he? And I know it's stupid, but," she was cut off by the embrace Austin pulled her into. She buried her head in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Als. I didn't think about it, honest. I'm sorry."

He wiped her tears off, and they separated. "Okay, now let's get you back home."

She nodded. He was her home now. And he wasn't ever going to leave.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, an auslly angst with some fluff. The next few chapters will be angst with little fluff, sorry. D: But it'll have a bittersweet ending. Auslly prevails.**

**Hey, so do reviews. I love reviews. Wanna give me some?**

**~Rebel**


	8. Chapter 8

She had put on three different dresses, all shapeless and black. None of them seemed to work. She sighed, and fell against the door. Her dad would've hated this. So depressing, so…black. She slipped on a white dress, one she wore to church every Sunday with him. Perfect. Combing out her hair to one side, she picked up her eyeliner, then put it straight back down. It just didn't feel right.

He had on a black tuxedo, complete with a black tie. He decided to change the black tie to blue. Lester loved blue. Looking in the mirror, his eyes seemed to glance towards the guest bedroom every few minutes. She was taking a long time in there, but he wasn't one to intrude. He just wanted to make sure that she was okay. He wanted to be able to hold her, and tell her it was okay. He couldn't do that right now.

She came out of the bathroom, with a white dress, and red lipstick on. She smiled, but he knew it was a fake smile. And, honestly, he couldn't blame her. He would feel the exact same way she does had it happened to him. He kissed her forehead, letting her wrap her arms around his waist. He ran a hand through her hair, stroking her back. She leaned her head into his chest, and smiled. "Blue."

The word sent chills through her heart, but the smile was real. It made her think about the summer they went to the beach. They were both dressed in blue. They had each other, and they were happy. Even though it was the first summer they had spent with her mom away, they were still happy. She moved her hands from his waist, but kept her head in place. He put a hand around her back, holding onto her hip. They walked downstairs together, where Mike & Mimi were ready to go, each dressed in a black suit and a blue silk dress. Ally smiled and felt her eyes tear up. "Thank you," she said, wiping her eyes. Mimi smiled, and Mike nodded. They held open the door, letting Austin and Ally walk out together, Austin still holding onto her. He wasn't going to let her fall, and she wasn't going to let go. They were in this together.

They arrived at the viewing close to ten minutes early, but a few family members, along with Trish and Dez, were already there. They walked up to Ally, and each giving her a quick embrace, smiled softly. She noticed Trish slightly leaning into Dez, and she returned their smile. She looked at the doors, which led to the casket her father was in. They were shut, but weren't locked. Austin noticed her looking at them. "Go ahead in," he muttered. She turned around. "Can you go with me? You don't have to if you don't want to, I just…"

He cut her off. "Of course, Ally."

She walked in. It was a beautiful room, decked with windows and flowers, smelling of potpourri. It was, in a word, gorgeous. She noticed the casket, and Austin stood at the back of the room. Walking towards it, she clamped her hands around the edges of the casket. It was cool, and she grasped onto it. The casket was opened, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Not yet. She could already feel tears starting in her eyes, and when she blinked, they fell. A single one hitting her hand, taking away from the cool, dryness of the casket. "Hi, dad."

"I know you can't hear me, and I'm probably just talking to a wall, but…I miss you. And I think of you everyday, and how you're not here. That I'll never see you again." Her eyes squeezed shut, but tears kept falling. "I…I love you, and wherever you are, I know you're looking down on me. So, please don't forget me. Because I definitely won't forget you." She finished, and drew her head up to look at the opened section of the casket. He looked peaceful, more realistic, than he did in the hospital. He looked refreshed, and well, he looked happy. She fell to her knees, clasping her hands closed to her face. Austin walked over, and wrapped an arm around her. She sobbed, and he pressed her face into his shoulder. He hummed the bit of the lullaby again, and she calmed down. His words replayed in her head again - safe, loved, wise. She stood up, hand around the jacket of his tuxedo for support. She nuzzled her face into his chest, and walked back out. Trish and Dez looked up from their seats, and gave a sad smile. She took her seat in the back of the room, as others pooled in the door for the viewing. Austin rested his head on top of hers, keeping a melody with his feet. She opened her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I just came up with some song lyrics," he said, humming a new melody. Her eyes narrowed, and she raised an eyebrow. "You? Oh, boy."

He sang, softly into her ear.

_Hold on, to me as we go_

_As we roll down this unfamiliar road_

_And although this wave is stringing us along_

_Just know you're not alone_

_Cause I'm gonna make this place your home_

She smiled, and gently hummed the melody. "Those lyrics are absolutely perfect, Austin."

"Well, they are for you. It makes sense."

She grinned. "You're really cheesy, you know that?" She held her head up, smiling and looking straight into his eyes.

"Only around you," he said, and looking down, briefly connected their lips. She returned the peck, and felt herself fall back onto her previous position. Unaware to them, a certain pair of parents were watching, Mimi's hand to her heart.

"You know, they remind me of us when we were their age."

Mike, who had a smile on his face, put his arm around her. "Really?"

"Oh absolutely. You see, when I was a hand model I,"

Mike cut her off. "Alright sweetie, the moment's over."

Mimi just nodded in agreement.

Austin looked down to find Ally had fell asleep on his chest. He kissed her forehead, and wrapped an arm around her.

_I'm gonna make this place your home._

* * *

**A/N: Okay, that started off a little angsty, but I don't think Austin would leave her alone right now, and knowing them, they'd turn it into a song, so I just had to add a little fluff in there. I HAD TOO! Blah. **

**Oh, and I don't own the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips, neither does Austin, but let's not tell him that, okay?**

**I love reviews, as always!**

**~Rebel**


	9. Chapter 9

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

"Shut up, you damn clock," she muttered quietly, ready to take aim and hit the clock in the kitchen. She was propped against the counter. She couldn't sleep. The funeral was tomorrow, and she couldn't sleep. She would break down right here right now, grab the knives from the kitchen sink, and sink them into her skin. But she wasn't a masochist, nor did she want to wake the parents who were so willing to take her in after such a tragedy. She couldn't bring herself to call it anything else but a tragedy. After all it was, indeed, a tragedy. A tragedy that has kept her up at 1:30 in the morning, giving her thoughts about knives, and having her live in her boyfriend's home. The latter didn't bother her so much as the first two. Sure, she missed home, but she had come to think of this place as her home, and Mike & Mimi as her step-in parents. They treated her like their daughter, and she couldn't be more grateful. She just wished that her dad was here to see it.

The realization that he was gone had sunk in, and had completely hit her hard. It seemed like everything reminded her of him now. She couldn't keep it out of her head - he was in her dreams, in her thoughts, in her mind, she even felt like he was there. And, being the logical Ally Dawson she was, felt she was losing it. She'd never believed in ghosts, in spirits, in tales of the sort, but now, it was like she could sense him. A chill would go up her spine, leaving Goosebumps on her arms, and her ears would drain out any sound, almost as if she was alone. Sometimes she could see him, sometimes she could hear him, and sometimes she just felt him. As much as she missed her dad, yearned to be with him, she wished he would just leave her alone.

She felt a single tear drip down her face, and she put a hand up to her face. She couldn't do it. She'd been masquerading a smile for too long. It'd been a façade the whole time, she couldn't act like she was fine. She wanted to, she wanted to _BE_ fine, but she just wasn't. She had to face reality, no matter how much of a bitch it was. She sunk down from the counter, on her knees. The cool, hard floor reminded her of the casket, and she sobbed harder. She felt like a little kid again, after watching a scary movie and having a nightmare. Only this time, he wasn't here, he couldn't comfort her. She couldn't run into his arms and sleep in his bed like she did when she was little. She couldn't do it ever again. She couldn't see him ever again. He was gone. And, she knew that. Honestly, she knew from the first day in the hospital he was gone. It was completely obvious from the get go. She just kept the thought out of her head. And she noticed every time they visited how he was worsening. Every night before they went to sleep, she asked herself, why was he taken away from her, before he was really even gone. She loved her mom, really, but they were no where near as close as she was with her father. She was closer to Austin than she was her own mother. Which, in her mother's defense, wasn't necessarily her fault - her mom was pursuing her career, doing what she loved, and Austin, well, Austin's amazing. She laid on the floor, feeling the blood rush to her head. Dizzy as it made her, it was cool and the most relaxing thing she had felt in days. Another sob sent an ache through the center of her heart, and she pressed her knees to her chest, trying to calm herself before she woke the house up. She just wanted this to all be over. All the tears, the nightmares, the heartbreak. It wasn't that easy, but there was no clear hard way to get over it either. She heard footsteps down the hall, and pressed herself together, hoping it wasn't Mike or Mimi. The smell of cinnamon bounced in the kitchen, but she couldn't bring herself to smile. _Austin._

"Ally? You in here?" he whispered, a hushed tone bouncing off the walls in the kitchen. She tried to stay silent, honest, but the sound of her sniffles gave her up, and he found her. She went to say something, but he cut her off. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her off to his bedroom. Gently, he set her down on the bed, before taking a seat himself. He wiped the tears from her eyes, and set a hand on her thigh. She couldn't say anything. She just laid her head down on his lap.

"Why were you on the kitchen floor, Als?" he said, tone concerned. She squeezed her eyes together, blinking back tears quietly as she could. Words wouldn't form when she talked. Just slow, heart-breaking stammers that were replaced by her choking sobs. He lifted her up, and positioning her on his lap, put his head on her shoulder. Speaking directly into her ear, he sang.

_Daylight come quickly_

_The nighttime is drifting_

_Over the stars and the moon_

_Quiet your tears, hush all your fears_

_Daylight and peace will come soon_

She sniffed, tears still falling at a steady pace. He held onto her, rocking her back and forth.

_The stars say goodbye_

_And the sun will rise_

_You're not alone, look in my eyes_

_Daylight come quickly_

_Fill up her skies_

She wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him like her life depended on it. In a way, it sort of did, because she knew she would never make it through all of this without him.

_The moon shines bright_

_But the sun gives you light_

_Guiding you back to my arms_

_Daylight, oh daylight_

_Protect her from harm_

His voice was calming, somewhat of a relief to her, and she sunk her head into his chest, sleep no longer evading her. He carefully laid down so not to wake her, and shut his eyes as well. "Even if you can't say it to me right now, I love you, Ally."

He drifted into sleep as well, both having each other in their dreams.

_Here comes the daylight, right here in my arms_

* * *

**A/N: So, I hope this chapter touches your hearts and gives you the safe, comforting feeling that Austin loves Ally and vice versa, even if she hasn't said it yet. Yes I did say yet. Oops, I just gave out a spoiler. Ah well. I love reviews as always. Good night~**

**~Rebel**


	10. Chapter 10

She squeezed his hand for the fourth time in an hour. Hand holding was, officially, their thing. They were at the funeral home, but she couldn't bring herself to walk in the doors. It was the final straw - going in meant she finally had to accept he was gone. And, she wasn't ready for that. She still wanted to be Daddy's little girl. It would be so much easier if going in meant this would all be over. But, it wasn't. It would never be fully over either, just somewhat easier. The pain would honestly never go away, just reduce. She knew all of this, but she didn't want to admit it.

Austin patiently waited on her. She wanted to slap him, because he was being so nice to her. She didn't deserve any of this, really. She'd been difficult the past three weeks. And he was there for her, every step of the way. She leaned into his shoulder, a smile on her face. He looked at her, puzzled.

"I'm ready," she said. Two words - a lot of meaning. She _was_ ready. Ready to let go, ready to breathe again, ready to start this new chapter of her life. And firstly, she was ready to go inside. He nodded, and they walked though the doors. Together.

Upon entering, they found Trish, Dez, his parents, and several scattered relatives. After quickly saying hello to everyone, she took a seat on a pew in the back. Trish and Dez followed.

"How ya holding up, kiddo?" Dez asked, taking a seat beside Trish.

"I'm fine," she said, with a slight smile.

Trish raised an eyebrow, and Dez looked confused.

"No, really you guys. I'm fine," she said, patting Trish's thigh for proof. "I'm ready."

They both gave soft smiles. Austin came and took his seat beside Ally.

"You know, it really is a beautiful place, Als. Lester would've loved it," Trish said, looking around at the church. Dez nodded in agreement. Trish had warned to punch him if he said anything stupid, so he kept his mouth shut.

The ceremony begins, and Mike and Mimi take their seat on the opposite pew. The preacher seemed to talk for hours, and the confidence Ally had at the beginning was fading. She felt herself begin to tear up little by little, and Austin squeezed her hand in reassurance. Trish had begun to tear up, along with Dez and surprisingly, even Austin. She felt tears stream down her cheeks. She wiped them off. She was going to get through this.

_I know my heart will never be the same, but I'm telling myself I'll be okay_

_Even on my weakest days, _

_I get a little bit stronger._

During the ride to the cemetery, Ally noted two things. One, hearses were more depressing than funerals themselves. Two, nature doesn't stop for anything. As mournful as a day as it was, the birds were still singing, the sun was still shining, and as far as she could tell, the earth was still spinning. It was kind of refreshing in a way.

The casket was lowered into the ground slowly. It felt like every second of it, something tore inside her. She blinked back tears. A part of her was gone, like something was missing. She would have to get used to it. There was something else inside of her now, too. Austin. A big part of her now, actually. It almost filled up the hole the death of her father left. _The death._ It's the first time she's addressed it as what it was than simply, a "tragedy." She smiled.

She was getting stronger.

The ceremony ended with awkward goodbyes to relatives she hasn't seen since she was seven or eight. They had filled in the grave, the headstone not being fully placed. She made a mental note to visit when it was. Austin stood up, taking her hand and pulling her up as well. Wrapped under his arms, she felt safe. He kissed the top of her head, her cool, damp hair leaving a refresh on his lips. She reached for his hand, because well, hand holding _was_ their thing. He gladly took it, and they met up with his parents at the end of the hill. He whispered into her ear.

"Didn't you want to say goodbye?" he whispered, gesturing back to the grave.

"Not today. Today, I'm going to be free," she replied, leaving a kiss on his cheek. He didn't object. They hopped in the backseat of his parents' car, and drove away. She looked out the window as they drove past the cemetery. "Free."

When they get home, she sits on his bed. He's more than happy to see she's moving on. He knows it's a part of her she'll never forget, but she can't be hung up on it forever. And, he's proud of her more than anything. She's overcome some tough obstacles in a mere three weeks. And, not to toot his own horn, but he played his part in it, too. They both know she wouldn't be holding on if it wasn't for him. Part of it reassures him. Because he loves her, and even if she's not willing to say it yet, he knows she loves him too.

And, she does. She loves him probably more than anything else in the world, but that's not going to slip out yet. She's healing. It's baby steps. The last thing he's going to do after she's come so far is rush her. Reality sucks, life's a bitch, but you make your way through it, and that's exactly what she's doing.

"Hey, Austin?" she said, voice tired.

"Mm?" he replies, almost asleep himself.

"Thank you."

It's two simple words, like "I'm Ready." But sometimes, the smallest of words have the biggest impacts. And he knows exactly what she means.

* * *

**A/N: Yay. The next chapter will be the last chapter. It'll be over with, and I won't have to worry about updating during school, and that's perfectly fine with me. I also love reivews.**

**~Rebel.**


	11. Chapter 11

When she wakes up, she knows today is special. She can feel it. It's as if it's a sign, a sign that she's starting a new chapter in her life. A chapter with Austin. And, for once, she'll be able to write the chapter. It's her life. Time to start living it.

She's quiet in getting dressed, not wanting to wake Austin up. She had already slipped out of his embrace this morning, and frankly, she felt…alive. For the first time in a long time. Because, when one door closes, another one opens. There's a new start for every end, and she found hers.

Austin flutters his eyes open, watching his girlfriend put things in a bag. He rubbed his eyes. "Okay, what are you doing? It's 7:30, Als."

"It's something I'm putting together. Do you remember last week? You said you'd come with me to visit him," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Of course. I just need to get dressed," he said, hopping out of bed and onto his marble floor. "And have my pancakes." She smiled. Throwing on his hoodie, she laid down on the bed. Her scent had become infused with his; leaving a cinnamon, vanilla smell, and the hint of water, which made it all the more attractive to her. In these now four weeks, she had learned that things were not his or hers, they were 'ours'. Finally, grasping at reality, she'd become accustomed to it. It was kind of nice. Good to know she was always taken care of, whether she wanted it or not. And although she's not exactly happy things happened, this is something she'll never forget, it's left her with beautiful, bittersweet memories. Getting used to staying at Austin's and falling to sleep with the taste of cinnamon in her mouth at night was one of the more beautiful ones. She missed her father, and she probably always would. But she was Ally Dawson. She was an optimist, and more so than anything, she was strong. Even stronger when you put Austin by her. They had become inseparable. She had swore to herself that one day, no matter how long it took, she would repay him for how much he's helped her. She'd be a mess right now without him.

She closed her eyes, squinting them shut. So much has changed over such a short time. And, despite the tears and the pain, this whole ride, the experience with him - she wouldn't change a thing. Life doesn't always have a happy ending unless you look on the bright side. You'll get no where dwelling in the past. The warm scent of cinnamon engulfed the room again, and she opened her eyes. He was back, pancake in one hand, a small box in the other. Typical.

"Here. I was going to give it to you earlier, but the timing was never right," he said, sheepishly, handing out the box to her. She took it in her hands. It was a pretty box, red with yellow polka dots, complete with an orange bow. She opened it to find a silver necklace, a guitar pick charm on it shaped like a heart. On it, it had two 'A's overlapping. She gaped. "Austin, it's beautiful." He took the chain out of the box and wrapped it around her neck. She held the charm in her hands, eyes brimming in awe. "I feel kind of bad, you didn't say we were exchanging gifts."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Don't sweat it, Als." She leaped up from the bed and pecked him on the cheek. Today was definitely different.

They walked up to the gravesite together, arms linked. The headstone was finally finished.

_Lester Alan Dawson_

_Father, Husband_

_1973-2012_

_Rest in Peace_

It was simple, yet pretty. It was lined with an elegant carved in border, the grave having several flowers set at it. She dug in the bag she had brought with her. She scattered out the remains of the bag on the ground, picking up each one in her hand before putting it on the grave. A silver harmonica. Her dad's favorite. A blue silk tie, one he had when she was seven. It was always her favorite, and her moms. Then, the book he read to her as a child. She set the bouquet of red carnations in the middle of it all. Austin put a hand on her back, just watching her in silence. He honestly wasn't sure if she was going to cry or not.

"I'll always be with you. And I really miss you, but I can't bring you back," Ally said, talking to the gravestone. "But I promise you, Austin will take care of me. Promise."

Austin smiled. He would make sure that promise was fulfilled, even if his life depended on it. She looked up at Austin, who was grinning down at her.

"Goodbye, dad. I love you," she whispered, a single tear falling down her cheek. She wiped it off. A rush of wind blew through the cemetery, and she smiled. After all, he would always be with her. Just not physically.

She stood up, leaning onto Austin for support. He wrapped his arm around her. They walked down to the park, taking a seat on the bench. She sighed, and with a delicate smile, looked around at the world. It continued, as if nothing happened. She must do the same. "I know this was hard for you," Austin began, "so, I just wanted to tell you. I promise you I will take care of you, and I will always be there for you, even if you don't want me. And even if you can't say it, I will. I love you, Ally. Don't forget that."

She nodded, burying her head into his chest. She couldn't forget it even if she tried. She hummed the lullaby he sang to her the first night she came from the hospital. It was over. She had her catalyst to keep her going, Austin. She entangled her fingers in his, gripping at his hand. "I think you said it best in the lullaby, Austin."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"_Here is the place where I love you_," she sang, beautifully. "It's said best in song."

He nodded. "I guess it is."

She cupped his face with her hands, connecting their lips. He put his hands to her hips, kissing back with every passion he had in him. All the sparks, the fireworks. They went off. She couldn't have been more happier. Neither could he.

"And, Austin?" she asked, drawing her face up closer.

"Yes?" he replied, inhaling the strong aroma of vanilla.

She rested her forehead on top of his. "I love you, too."

* * *

**A/N: It's over. D'aww. Ah well, how was that? She finally said I love you. **

**:D Reviews are lovely!**

**~Rebel**


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